Hydrofoil systems for high speed watercraft are used extensively in order to improve the performance of such watercraft. Hydrofoil systems are used primarily to provide a reduction in friction resistance of a watercraft as it travels through water. This is achieved by supporting part of the vessel weight on the hydrofoil and in so doing, allowing the hydrofoil to lift the hull partially out of the water. This has the effect of reducing the wetted area and in turn, the water friction resistance of the hull.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,779,075 discloses a monohull boat of the hydroplane type in which speed and weight carrying ability are of paramount importance. The boat includes a fan-shaped hydroplane element at the stern of the boat to trim the boat and an elongate shouldered portion. Both the shouldered portion and the hydroplane are disposed in the same longitudinal flow stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,291 discloses a catamaran type boat having two spaced apart hulls and a hydrofoil which is located substantially in the vicinity of the longitudinal center of gravity of the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,235 discloses a hydrofoil supported watercraft having a front hydrofoil located near the bow of the watercraft and a rear hydrofoil positioned to the rear of the longitudinal center of gravity of the watercraft, the front and rear hydrofoils being at least partially disposed in separate longitudinal flow streams.
It is an object of the present invention to improve the performance of hydrofoil-assisted multi-hulled watercraft.